AMMAN — In a Lower House session held on Wednesday, MPs
approved the fiscal surpluses bill for the year 2019, which entailed cancelling
three independent government units.
اضافة اعلان
Nimer Al-Sleihat, head of the financial committee at the
Lower House, said in remarks to Jordan News that, the three administratively
and financially independent agencies were merged with relevant ministries or
turned into a company.
Detailing, he said that the Youth and Sports Support
Fund “has been merged with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, while the
Scientific Research and Innovation Fund will be part of the Ministry of Higher
Education and Scientific Research.”
Meanwhile, the Aqaba Railway Company has been converted
to a joint-stock company.
Sleihat stressed the need to preserve public funds and
reduce the number of independent bodies as much as possible, stating that this
is a “popular demand supported by all members of Parliament.”
Economist and journalist Youssef Damra explained the
significant impact of the abolition of the independent bodies in saving the
state’s budget in an interview with Jordan News.
Damra stated that there are “two types of independent
bodies, the first of which generates revenues and is considered a vital
tributary to the national economy.” However, the second type, he said, “does
not contribute to the economy and is a waste of public money.”
On Tuesday, the legal committee approved the Anti-Money
Laundering and Terrorism Financing bill for the year 2020, after amending some
of its articles.
The decision to approve the Anti-Money Laundering and
Terrorism Financing Bill came during a meeting chaired by Muhammad Al-Hilalat
and attended by the Deputy Governor of the Central Bank Maher Al-Sheikh and
Head of the Anti-Money Laundering Unit Samia Abu Sharif.
Fayez Basbous, a member of the parliament’s legal
committee, lauded the bill as “a new legislation that adopts international
standards with regard to the subjects of combating money laundering and
combating terrorism. In addition to that, it is a national demand aimed at
establishing national and economic security.”
“The bill comes to aid combating terrorism by preserving
of the security of citizens and the homeland, as this law guarantees heavy
penalties for anyone who wants to hurt the country in any form,” Basbous said.
“It also cuts off all those who seek help and support for terrorism, whether
they are individuals or companies.”
The bill intends to mitigate the negative impact that
money laundering has had on Jordan’s economy and economic stability.
“This law pursues even those suspected of money
laundering cases, whether they are owners of companies or even individuals,”
Basbous added.
The law consists of 42 articles that stem from the input
of many experts and specialists in the legal, economic, and anti-terrorism
fields. According to Basbous, the most important characteristic of this law is
that it is not subject to the statute of limitations.
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